Thermal barriers are typically used by many space-based systems to protect such systems from temperature extremes resulting from variable insolation. Whether the space-based system is a space vehicle, such as a satellite with a relatively long-term orbit or a launch and recover spacecraft, vital components must be protected from the strain created by variable insolation. For example, a satellite with one side exposed to direct sunlight and the other side completely in shadow would be subjected to extreme mechanical stresses due to the sharp temperature differences between the exposed and shadowed sides. Known thermal barriers or blankets are typically employed to moderate these temperature differences. In applications in which the thermal blankets are used to enclose a moving mechanical assembly, such as an articulating actuator assembly and its nearby surrounding equipment, structure, and hardware, care must be taken during assembly of the satellite to ensure that the thermal blanket does not interfere with the movement of the moving mechanical assembly. This can be the case when other hardware such as harness and cable assemblies, launch locks, or other equipment need to operate and/or move as part of the moving mechanical assembly. Moving mechanical assemblies typically include all components surrounding a moving mechanism that operate and/or move with the mechanism for the system to meet its function. These components can include non-rigid structures such as cabling and blankets, as well as other assemblies such as launch locks and other equipment.
Consequently, known thermal blankets are typically made substantially larger than the enclosed moving mechanical assembly and then hand-fitted during assembly. Such blankets are typically not supported with substantial structure, and the designs typically rely on the features built into the blankets, such as seams and linings, to hold the blankets' shape and to perform the blankets' function. Technicians must carefully enclose the movable mechanical assembly to be protected by the thermal blankets and “massage” or manipulate the thermal blankets to improve the fit and create a free movement path for the enclosed movable mechanical assembly. Thus, thermal blanket installation can be reliant on a technician's installation experience and can require regular “massaging” of the thermal blankets to meet clearance requirements. After determining that the thermal blanket will not get “snagged” in the moving mechanical assembly's moving parts, the thermal blankets may be hand-sewn or fitted in place. Not only does this hand-fitting process consume a great deal of time and expense, but the thermal blankets can tear during the process and must then be repaired or replaced. This can increase the expense of the thermal blankets and can add to the inspection costs to ensure that no tears go undetected. Other non-rigid components, such as harnesses and cables, may have similar issues to such known thermal blankets.
Because the thermal blankets and other non-rigid components are installation and configuration dependent, the remaining clearances allowing the moving mechanical assembly to perform its functions can vary unpredictably. Impedance to clearances with moving mechanical assemblies can potentially lead to deployment anomalies. Such deployment anomalies relating to the interference of known thermal blankets and harnesses around deployment interfaces can occur during satellite integration, testing, and on-orbit operations. Although known systems exist for thermal blankets at actuator interfaces, problems with deployment continue to occur. For example, required clearances to the moving mechanical assembly may not be maintainable and verifiable, and access to the moving mechanical assembly through the removal of thermal blankets can invalidate deployment tests. Moreover, resistive torque and snag potential of the thermal blankets can both be increased. Known thermal blankets of moving mechanical assemblies which designs can lack the support of any structure, such as “sock-shaped” or “bag-shaped” thermal blankets, typically do not provide consistent clearance between the thermal blanket and other equipment. Further, known thermal blanket designs, such as an “intelligent” thermal blanket design having internal seams and a somewhat more repeatable blanket shape through the deployment and stow cycles, can prove to be non-repeatable. In addition, “intelligent” thermal blanket deformation can result in impedance of an item of equipment or antenna's field of view and can prevent the item of equipment or antenna from functioning as required.
Known moving mechanical assemblies do not typically have good integration among their constituent parts and can experience installation variability, shape variability, insufficient engineering documentation, mislocated components, and ambiguous deployment interfaces.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an integrated articulating thermal isolation system and method that provides advantages over known systems and methods.